Final wave of BHS stores to close over Bank Holiday weekend

Closing department store chain BHS has confirmed the final wave of stores that will shut for the final time over Bank Holiday weekend.

Administrators of BHS, Duff & Phelps, confirmed that all of its 164 store estate would close by 20 August 2016, impacting 11,000 jobs. However, due to ‘overstocked storerooms’ 22 locations were granted extra time to shift stock and will close on 28 August.

BHS went into administration on 25 April 2016, having reported debts of over £1.3bn. Philip Duffy and Benjamin Wiles were appointed as Joint Administrators from restructuring firm Duff & Phelps.

Commenting on the BHS closures, Dave Gill, of trade union Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers), said: “We urge other high street retailers to look seriously at quickly re-employing the dedicated and experienced BHS workers who will all soon be unemployed.”